There is such a thing as a conservative socialist, Mark. A Stalinist is a conservative socialist. A supporter of Pol Pot is a conservative socialist. A Maoist is a conservative socialist. A socialist who rejects any and all forms of capitalism is a conservative socialist. A fanatical socialist who thinks socialism is the answer to all of life's problems is a conservative socialist.

I am somewhat of a socialist, but I can't stand the kind of socialists I alluded to above...

They are not centrists or liberals. They are extremists.

You are correct that a liberal is usually a centrist.

Some conservatives (in fact, many of them) are centrists also, but the extremists have lately hijacked the label of "conservatism", just as they have demonized the label of "liberalism".

- LH